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Rene Cardenas inducted into Media Wall of Honor

HOUSTON, TX - Earlier tonight, former Spanish broadcaster and current media member Rene Cardenas was inducted into the Houston Baseball Media Wall of Honor in a pregame ceremony at Minute Maid Park.

Each season, a current or former Houston media member is inducted into the Houston Baseball Media Wall of Honor for significant and lasting contributions to the landscape of Houston baseball through their work in journalism or broadcasting. This year, Cardenas was elected by his peers and was inducted by the Astros in recognition of his 67 years of service to the Astros and Major League Baseball.

"I am so happy and grateful for this honor, especially because I was elected by my peers," Cardenas said. "My colleagues see me every night here at the ballpark, and to have made an impression on this group of individuals means a great deal. It is a wonderful honor."

Cardenas, a native of Managua, Nicaragua, started his professional baseball broadcast career with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1958, becoming one of the first members of a Spanish radio broadcast team in the history of Major League Baseball. In the coming years, Cardenas further made history as a pioneer, as he and his team became the first Spanish radio broadcast team to call a World Series (1959) and an All-Star Game (1961).

Cardenas was brought into the Houston organization by Judge Roy Hofheinz in 1962 as the Director of the Spanish Division for the Colt .45's, and stayed with the Astros through 1975. He also spent time with the Texas Rangers organization, where he started their very first Spanish radio broadcast. Following his time in Arlington, Cardenas returned to LA where he did Spanish radio and TV broadcasts for the Dodgers in the 1980s.

Cardenas returned to Houston in 2000 where he began writing for the club. He returned to Spanish radio broadcast in 2007 and in 2008, became a television broadcaster for the team. He now writes for La Prensa, as well as the Astros Gameday Magazine and La Voz.

"I'm incredibly pleased that Rene is receiving this honor," Astros President Reid Ryan said. "Rene Cardenas has been a part of this organization for so many years, and to recognize him this way, through a vote of his peers, speaks to the impact he has had on everyone around him."

Among his many honors are a place in both the Texas Rangers and former LA Dodgers Walks of Fame, and three nominations for the Ford C. Frick award in 1993, 2010 and 2011.

The Houston Astros are honored to induct Rene Cardenas in the Media Wall of Honor for the influential role he has played in the club's past and present.